Federal Judge Hears Minimum Wage Lawsuit

A federal judge is considering the state of Alabama’s request to dismiss a lawsuit over a new law that blocked a minimum wage increase in Birmingham.

District Judge R. David Proctor held a hearing yesterday afternoon on the motions to dismiss. Last year, the Birmingham City Council voted to raise the city's hourly minimum wage to $10.10. Just before that law took effect, the Alabama Legislature quickly passed legislation requiring a uniform minimum wage throughout the state.

The Alabama Chapter of the NAACP and Greater Birmingham Ministries then filed a lawsuit challenging the state law.

The complaint alleges the legislation was racially motivated because it was pushed by white lawmakers and disproportionately impacts black workers who would have benefited. The lawsuit argued it also deprived Birmingham citizens of their right to self-governance.